Batman: No Man's Land

Batman: No Man's Land #Novelisation

by Greg Rucka

GOTHAM CITY: a dark, twisted reÞection of urban America. Overcrowded, overbuilt, and overshadowed by a continuous air of menace, this gothic nightmare is a breeding ground for the depraved, the indifferent, and the criminally insane. It's also the object of one man's obsession. Witness to the brutal murder of his parents, Bruce Wayne has dedicated his life to protecting this city, taking a form to inspire hope in the innocent...and fear in the guilty. He is the masked vigilante known as the Batman. Now the battlefield has changed. Leveled by a massive earthquake that left thousands dead and millions more wounded, Gotham City has been transformed into a lawless wilderness -- a No Man's Land -- where the survivors are turning against one another, and where the city's protectors are torn by a crisis that may consume them all.

Genres: Comics, Fiction, Batman, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Fantasy, Dc Comics

468 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Greg Rucka, is an American comic book writer and novelist, known for his work on such comics as Action Comics, Batwoman: Detective Comics, and the miniseries Superman: World of New Krypton for DC Comics, and for novels such as his Queen & Country series.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

A culmination of disasters in Gotham, an earthquake and some political manipulations results in Gotham being expelled out of the USA, and being declared a No Man's Land! Some really impressive stories ensue over the DC Comics' comic book year of 1999, as we see the total and complete breakdown of Gotham; there's the emergence of a holding city management force by the GKPD; there's the unavoidable rampant gang warfare (Two Face, Penguin, Poison Ivy, Croc, Zsasz etc), and the Huntress, a new Batgirl, a caped Bat cavalry and as ever some outrageous plays by the Joker. Some of the best of 90s Batman with great character and plot development across multiple titles! One of my personal favourite Bat events! 8 out of 12

I read the comic books covered in Batman No Man's Land volumes 1-5.

[Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been said that there's a big difference between writing novel adaptations of film and novel adaptations of comics: That is when writing an adaptation of a film the hard part is adding enough to fill up a whole book. While adapting a big comic crossover is the complete opposite, there's too much story and the difficulty lies in choosing what to take out.

Greg Rucka seems to have mastered this challenge. His novel of the Batman arc No Man's Land (which he partly scripted in the comics series) expertly blends just enough of the various spinoff storylines to make for a smooth and exciting novel.

Comics crossovers are generally bloated with unnecessary filler, this streamlined version is far superior to the multi-volume sets of graphic novels. At it's core, the plot of No Man's Land is an iconic Batman story for a reason. Anarchy in Gotham makes for a great collection of stories.

Rucka writes a well-rounded ensemble cast of heroes and villains, but the main protagonist is not actually Bruce Wayne/Batman but Commissioner Gordon. His backstory about his divorce and the scenes about his cop wife make him a far more three-dimensional character than the background exposition dump as he's usually portrayed. Barbara Gordon, the Oracle, is also a good POV character who's journals and central position as information carrier in Gotham is utilized well in the context of a superhero novel.

There's still plenty of Wayne, plus his squad from the Huntress to Nightwing. The villains are great too, including riveting and disturbing conflicts with Two-Face, Bane, Penguin believe it or not, and of course the Joker. Also, this is mostly about the Bat-corner of the DC Universe aside from a few references to other cities such as Metropolis. It wouldn't have worked if science fiction and fantasy were thrown in, so no Justice League, but there is a certain big bad villain who from that aforementioned city who's revealed in the end but I won't spoil anymore...

The greatest character is indeed the city of Gotham. Rucka's greatest skill is making it seem like a real city, not just a generic New York type, full of specific neighborhoods and locales. Robinson Park, Miller Bay, etc. A visual representation with the map of the city would help, so I recommend looking that up, especially as the different gangs take over districts of the town and alliances shift during the course of the NML year.

Lastly, speaking of adaptations, the GraphicAudio audiobook version is one of the best I've listened to. It's full of sound effects and different actors portraying the various voices. Unfortunately, it is not legally available at this time so pirating is the only option. Not that I'd ever recommend such. DC, get it together and give the rights to Audible or post it as a podcast already!

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable story overall, though an excess of profanity marred things a bit.

[Alejandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

After my good experience while reading "Knightfall" (you can read the review of that one here: Knightfall, I was sure that I will enjoy to read this other storyline of Batman titled "No Man's Land". My only regret is not being able to get it on Hardcover edition, since I have "Knightfall" in that presentation, it could be great to get that one in hardcover too. However I wasn't aware of the publishing of this novelization and when I found out, the edition that I found then it was the softcover edition. Maybe later I could try to get it in that form but it wasn't just the same since I already read the book. Anyway, I'm glad of buying it, since the same as with "Knighfall", the event of "No Man's Land" implied a lot of comics related to Batman, so completing this event on single issues and/or TPBs could be expensive, while in the prose novel format, it was incredible cheap and I was able to enjoy and to know the event. Certainly this storyline is a good one too, and while in "Knightfall" many of the book is centered on Batman, Bane and Azrael. On "No Man's Land" you have a lot of character developing in the chapters. I was amazed of how good they presented Harvey Dent/Two Face, not only you really feel two personalities inside of one body, and not only that but also, Greg Rucka, the writer commisioned to make the novelization of the storyline, was able to make Dent a really likeable character. I am not saying that he made a "good" person, he is still a psychopatic criminal but Rucka gave him a lot of depth to that character. And as I say, you have a lot of developing of characters in this novel since "No Man's Land" indeed is a place where nobody is in command, not of everything, so you are able to read how each main character is controlling and managing their self-appointed zones. Highly recommended.

[BookMarc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark. Atmospheric. Chilling. And that was just the ride home on the metro last night. It was made all the more creepy by this gem of a book, 'Batman: No Man's Land'.
I love it when the potential of a character is fulfilled and it has blossomed into what you knew it could be. For too long Batman has been tainted with the shadow of Adam West's portrayal on the 60s tv show and then there were the campy movies of which only 'The Dark Night' offered any redemption. In this novel by Greg Rucka the reader is served up a veritable feast of a book that I never wanted to stop eating from. From the back cover...


"GOTHAM CITY: a dark, twisted reflection of urban America. Overcrowded, overbuilt, and overshadowed by a continuous air of menace, this gothic nightmare is a breeding ground for the depraved, the indifferent, and the criminally insane. It's also the object of one man's obsession. Witness to the brutal murder of his parents, Bruce Wayne has dedicated his life to protecting this city, taking a form to inspire hope in the innocent...and fear in the guilty. He is the masked vigilante known as the Batman.
Now the battlefield has changed. Leveled by a massive earthquake that left thousands dead and millions more wounded, Gotham City has been transformed into a lawless wilderness -- a No Man's Land -- where the survivors are turning against one another, and where the city's protectors are torn by a crisis that may consume them all."


At 468 word crammed, suspense filled, action packed pages 'No Man's Land' is a fairly long read that never once feels like it is dragging. In that sense it needs to be such as Batman himself doesn't appear in the story until about 80 or so pages into the book. In lesser skilled hands that premise could have been the kiss of death for this novel but as is mentioned on the back cover of the book this is a storytelling masterpiece. Filled with an array of supporting characters, such as Oracle, Nightwing, Two-Face and The Joker, each of whom are an integral part of the story this book should carry a health warning as it will have you reading through the pages so fast the friction of all that fast page turning might leave burn marks on your fingers.
If you've ever had any interest in Batman and want a book that is catered to an adult market then you would be a fool to miss this novel. It's an absolute gem that should be required reading for all fiction lovers.

[সাদমান হুসাইন · Rating 5 out of 5]

বইটা শুরু করার আগ পর্যন্তও ভাবছিলাম কমিক বইয়ের নভেলাইজেশন, কতটুক ভালোই বা হবে। আর কমিক পড়ে অভ্যস্ত আমি, ব্যাটম্যানের কাহিনী পড়ছি, একটাও ছবি নাই, কেমন হয় কে জানে। তাও শুরু করলাম, ব্যাটম্যানের বই বলেই। কোন কমিক কেনা হয়নি এখনো, একটা বইই নাহয় থাকুক কালেকশনে।

অ্যান্ড ইট ওয়াজ আ ভেরি গুড ডিসিশন।

কাহিনী শুরু হচ্ছে Batman: Cataclysm ইভেন্টের পরে থেকে। বিশাল এক ভূমিকম্পে গথাম শহরের বেশিরভাগই ধ্বংসপ্রাপ্ত, কোন একটা কারনে ব্যাটম্যান ও উধাও শহর থেকে। শহরের এই করুন দশা দেখে ইউএস সরকার করলো আজব এক কাজ, গথাম সিটিকে আমেরিকার বাইরে নো-ম্যানস ল্যান্ড ঘোষণা করে দিলো, আমেরিকার আর কোন দায়িত্ব নাই গথামের অধিবাসীদের প্রতি!

আর্কহাম এসাইলামের এক পাগলা ডাক্তার নিজে পালানোর আগে খুলে দিয়ে গেলো আর্কহামে বন্দি সব সুপার ভিলেনদের। ভাঙ্গা একটা শহর, যোগাযোগ সুবিধা, পুলিশি নিরাপত্তা, কিছুই নাই, এর মাঝে ওপেন প্লেয়িং ফিল্ড পেয়ে বসলো টু-ফেস, পেঙ্গুইন, জোকাররা!

সুপার ভিলেনদের জমি নিয়ে কাড়াকাড়ি, ব্যাটম্যানের অনুপস্থিতি, তার সহযোগীদের ( ওরাকল, হান্ট্রেস) ফ্রাস্টেশন কিছু করতে না পারার জন্যে, গথামের পুলিশ ফোর্সের কিছু করতে না পেরে শেষে ব্লু বয়স নামে গ্যাং ওপেন করা সেফটির জন্যে- এমন সব গোলমেলে সিচুয়েশনের মাঝে হাজির হয় আমাদের ব্যাটম্যান।

কমিকের সাথে এইটার সবচেয়ে বড় ডিফারেন্স হলো কমিকে অনেক কিছু ইমপ্লায়েড থাকে। কোন চরিত্রের ইমোশনের কথা সেইভাবে একে বা ডায়ালগে বুঝানো যায় না অনেক সময় কমিকে, বইয়ে সেই ঝামেলা নেই। কোন ক্যারেক্টারের বিভিন্ন দিক বুঝে উঠা অনেকটাই নির্ভর করে পাঠকের উপরে। বইয়ে সেটা লেখকের উপরে, তিনি যেভাবে ইচ্ছা দেখাতে পারেন ক্যারেক্টারকে। টু-ফেসের ক্যারেক্টারটা এই বইয়ে এতো ভালো ভাবে ফুটে উঠেছে যে আমার নিজেরই মাঝে মাঝে টু-ফেসের জন্যে খারাপ লেগেছে। টু-ফেসের ডুয়াল পার্সোনালিটির জিনিসটা আমি খুব কম কমিকেই দেখেছি, আমার মতে ব্যাটম্যানের সবচেয়ে আন্ডার ইউটিলাইজড ভিলেনদের মাঝে এই টু-ফেস অন্যতম। আর ব্যাটম্যানের কথা আর নাইবা বললাম। কমিকে মাঝে মাঝে মনে হতো কে কার মুখোশ, ব্যাটম্যান ব্রুসের না ব্রুস ব্যাটম্যানের। বইয়ে সেই প্রশ্নের জবাব খুব সুন্দর করে উঠে এসেছে। সবচেয়ে ইন্টারেস্টিং ব্যাপার হলো কমিকে ব্যাটম্যানের বিভিন্ন গ্যাজেট ইউজ করা দেখানো হয় এক মুহুর্তের মাঝে, বইয়ে সেটা অনেক বেশি ডিটেইলড। ব্যাটম্যানের এক ছাদ থেকে আরেক ছাদে গ্র্যাপল হুক দিয়ে যাওয়ার পরে যে দ��়ি গুটানো লাগে আবার শ্যুট করার আগে, সেটা এই বই পড়েই প্রথম জেনেছি :p

আর বইটা নিয়ে একটা কথা না বললেই নয়, অনেক ডার্ক বইটা, গথামের মতই। কমিকের নভেলাইজেশন বলে হেলাফেলার জিনিস না। কমিকের মত প্যানেলে প্যানেলে একশন নেই হয়তো, কিন্তু একবার পড়া শুরু করলে শেষ না করে উঠা কঠিন। আর শেষের দিকের পেজগুলো। পিউর হার্ট-রেঞ্চিং ইমোশনাল ব্যাপারস্যাপার।

ব্রিলিয়ান্ট স্টোরিটেলিং। আমার রেটিং ৫/৫।

হ্যাপি রিডিং।

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Judging from a glance at other reviews of this book, my reaction was similar to that of a lot of other people: I did't think I'd like this book as much as I did.

To be honest, I had many doubts regarding the novelization of a comic book. I've been reading Batman comics for over a year now (and what I lack in terms of time I surely made up in volume), and I admit I doubted that could translate into the novel format. If it hadn't been for the recommendation of a friend, I wouldn't have picked it up, but I'm very glad I did.

Greg Rucka does a great job of telling the most important stories that happened in the comic books. Like in the comics, there are several points of view, some more effective than others. Oracle's POV, for example, was immediately convincing, as was the GCPD's. Two-Face, too, was captured very well. And Cassandra! I had my problems with the Joker, but I admit I have no idea how to do it better - I think because of his utter irrationality, it's hard to write from his perspective - in comics, you can focus on pictures and dialogues to convey this, but in this format it's not easy. Still, it wasn't unconvincing, either; and his actions were very Joker-esque and chilling and horrifying as always.

What surprised me most was Batman. Considering it's a Batman book it does take him a long time to show up (it's the same in the comics, though, and the man does have his reasons), but when he does - now, the thing is I love Batman. As in love love love. And I always get this - well, there are always moments in every Batman story where my heart just *hurts* for him, because of who and how and what he is. It was even worse here, because even though it's still just glimpses into his soul, it was different reading about it in this format. It touched me deeply, and there were some aspects revealed that I hadn't thought about before. So that was great.

So, yes, I can recommend reading this. It should be okay to read even if you don't know much about the comics
and I think it'd be a good enough introduction to the world of Batman for people who don't like comics. (I know such a person.)

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely one of the better Batman prose novels. It's a more mature, adult book than many of the novelized adventures, though the simple Good vs. Evil theme is always at the forefront. Rucka adapted the script of his graphic arc for the plot, but the real high point is the terrific job he did in capturing the characters; Huntress, Nightwing, the Gordons, Cassandra, Two-Face, on and on, and even Gotham itself really come alive. (On the other hand, I wasn't too taken by The Joker, but nothing's perfect.) Variations of the story have been popularized in more recent screen appearances, but this original is my pick for the most superior. Bruce comes through as the Dark Knight Detective at the top of his form.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised how well written this novelization of the Graphic Novel Batman: No Man's Land. Greg Rucca does incredible work on characterizations on Jim Gordon, The Huntress, Batman, and Oracle, really adding some depth to the characters. The novelization does a good job of catching you up on all the milestones in DC the at the time, Batman had his back broken in Knightfall at the hands of Bane, In the Killing Joke Joker tries to make Jim Gordon a good man go insane with Joker shooting his daughter Barbra Gordon who is Batgirl in the back crippling her, and she now goes by the Oracle and keeps watch over Gotham from the clock tower, Dick Grayson original Robin now goes by the name of Nightwing and other small bits it keeps you up to date on. I'm a little bit more then a casual fan but it did a great job of up dating me of events I might have forgotten. This Novel was written almost 20 years ago and still holds up really well. My reason for checking this story out is it is the background for the current storyline on Fox's Gotham TV show and was used for the movie The Dark Knight Rises, the novel is way different but the situation is the same.

The Plot: After a massive earthquake hits Gotham ruining water and power and knocking a bridge out, the government gives the city of Gotham a cutoff where the city will be cut off from the federal government of the US and be known as "No Man's Land". a could deal of people stay behind with little effort from the government to remove them, the rest of the bridges are blown for Safety, which keep the people on the island of Gotham ( think Manhattan). Jim Gordon, his wife (also with the police), and a handful of his police officers stay to give aid, of the officer's in the Batman cannon most notable are Montoya and Bullock. Batman has not been seen or heard, Bruce Wayne Batman's alter ego has been fighting diplomatically for months to get government aid, this is a big catalyst for a fractured Jim Gordon and Batman relationship. All the Arkham Asylum patients are released as a humanitarian effort, which leads to them creating gangs and marking off territory of Gotham. The Police with Gordon have a small chunk, but have to deal with the gangs in Batman's absence. There's a mysterious figure taking up the Batman mantel a mysterious woman that's there to try to keep the name a live but is she a friend or a foe? The oracle survives in the clock tower with a string of spies who report to her to she can keep track of all that goes on in Gotham. Both Robin and Nightwing were told to keep away, and have done so with his blessing as they deal with the resident that have left Gotham and live over capacity in the new town. Jim Gordon struggles with leadership and not much weapons makes tough decisions that lead in death and defection as he makes alliances with criminal's to survive while Batman is gone. Will this destroy the character of Jim Gordon or can he hold out until Batman gets back?

What I Liked: Amazing characterization, there's a scene where Oracle see's the the new batgirl save the day for the first time since her accident, and goes a little crazy aiming the gun at her wanting the new batgirl to feel the same pain. The scene where Joker meets and talks to the new batgirl. The scene where Jim Gordon makes a plan that he knows will get people kill and to punish himself listen to the aftermath of every gun fire and scream. The scene where Jim Gordon and Batman have it out and Gordon tells Batman that he can't get hired anywhere else because he needs a vigilante to do the job, there's a couple more scenes that are just great. Really great stuff with the Huntress's character and her need to kill. The new Character of Cassandra the mite who's a spy for Oracle has a cool background story and some neat reveals in the book. The Writing of the Oracle's journal that acts as the unofficial narrator, really worked, I had a little issues with how it started but it was really effective. Really clever twist that I did not see coming.

What I Disliked: The whole government plan to abandon Gotham was a little bit murky and could've been explained way better. I really disliked that in the Oracle's journal's on day one she reveals who batman is, Day one! I know why they did it for the reader, but if I die here's somethings you need to know Dad, but day one! No Man's land last a while and could have been more relevant when Batman does come back. I have a problem with how loose some character's are with secret identity. Poison Ivy owns a big chunk of Gotham the park and she never gets dealt with. I did not care for the Harley Quinn dialogue, it felt really forced.

Recommendations: I put this up there with my favorite Batman stories, The Long Halloween, Knightfall, and The Court of Owls. If you want to read a book that really adds to the mythos of Batman then this is the book. Greg Rucka also did a fantastic job with his new 52 run on Wonder Woman which I would also recommend. I rated Batman: No Man's Land 4 out of 5 stars.

[Harsimar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this. It's basically a novelization of the comic series which I've never read.

The thing I like the most about this book is how it humanizes the Bat villains. Two-Face and Bane were written so wonderfully. I'd honestly love to read a standalone novel from Two-Face's perspective written by this author. Batman's kinda okay. I really liked these villains more.

The novel feels a lot like a short summary of the whole comic series even though it's about 430 pages long. And there's no huge finale as such. More like little exciting moments sprinkled throughout the novel.

The only complaint I have, is that I wish it was longer. it's got too many characters and wasn't able to provide most of them good closure. But that's just me. It's a great book to read if you're a Batman fan.

[Desmond Killian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Greg Rucka abridges the yearlong No Man's Land event into a 400-page novel. Awesome! Featuring: Batgirls I, II, and III! Nightwing x Huntress! An origin story for New Earth Harley Quinn! And absolutely no Azrael!

"With the addition of Justin here, that makes over thirty infants born during the No Man's Land, at least that I'm aware of."-- Dr. Leslie Thompkins, unknowingly setting up Chekhov's Thirty Infant Children

[Amanda Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a chronic Batman fan this book is amazing! Greg Rucka is well known for his contributions to many comic book series over the years, but a full novel of this epic nature is a read and re-read kind of book for a true fan. Enter the world of Gotham City on the eve of its exile and follow it through to its reinstatement. Gotham finds itself being cast off from the rest of the United States, bridges are blown and Arkham asylums doors are opened. Few are willing to stay to defend the lives they've built here, but Jim Gordon and the GCPD, as well as Barbara Gordon as Oracle have stayed behind to keep what is theirs and hopefully reign in the usual suspects. Expect appearances from Joker, Harleen Quinzel - Harley Quinn, Bane, Penguin and even Lex Luthor. The question is, can the city survive without Batman... and where is he? Batman: No Man's Land is by far one of the best things Greg Rucka has written; it shows he's got more talent then just for writing comics.

[Tyffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listening to this audiobook was a lot of fun! It really was like a movie in your head. The story itself is really exciting and suspenseful making it great for long road trips. I especially liked the odd Two-Face side story that I will not reveal for spoiler's sake. I'd like to read more of the stories around this particular story.

[Trent Darcey Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I solid Batman story first of all, but what makes the novelization stand out is Rucka’s understanding that he can do a lot more with point of view in this medium. By utilizing a third person limited narration for much of the book, we are given glimpses into the minds of Batman and his rogues galley and it adds depth to the characters and narrative.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the book Batman: No Man's Land by Greg Rucka, Gotham city, batman has sworn to protect, is destroyed by a earthquake and is cut of from the United States. With batman no where to be seen, the citizens of Gotham have to fight for survival and wait for their savior. This book is very good. It is written well, and the characters are interesting and fun to read about. The message of the story is to always have hope in the worst of situations.

[Jonathan Tennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

It started as a comic. Rucka made it a novel that was enjoyable to read. Must like Batman to enjoy but if you don't like Batman why even bother living? :)

[শুভঙ্কর শুভ · Rating 5 out of 5]

অসাম একটা বই...মাঝে এক্সামের কারনে ফেলে রাখছিলাম,পরে মনে ছিল না!শেষ ১ অধ্যায়ের জন্য এতো লেট!কেউ এখনো পড়ে না থাকলে পড়ে ফেলুন!!

[Ryan Rodriquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read my first Batman comic book when I was around 7 years old. Since then, I've been mesmerized by the darkness BEING the light that is Batman. I read Knigtfall by Dennis O'Neil when I was 14 and that was a life-changing experience for me. The writing, the principles, the justice of it all being handed out by the dark knight.

Greg Rucka has brought me right back into the world of Gotham and brings with him a devastatingly harsh look at what happens when the soul of society cracks and lawlessness takes over. How do you restore order? Is it possible? What can one man do?

Batman and his associates continue to ask themselves the same questions as they fight to restore the soul of their city and take it back from the clutches of factions that have now taken over entire segments of the city. Two-face, Penguin, Bane, Black Mask, and of course...the Joker are all chaotically dissecting their own little corners.

Rucka had me reading so fast that I had to re-read some segments to make sure I'd read what I just read. The narrative and the action scenes compliment each other beautifully. This epic attempt at redemption will leave you devastated and hopeful at the same time!

[JJ Billingsly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Batman: No Man’s Land was… WOW! Greg Rucka does such a great job showing the heart of Gotham and the people who refuse to give up on it, no matter how bad things got. The writing pulls you in right away. it’s gritty, emotional, and full of weight. There are MULTIPLE hard hitting and heavy scenarios that stick with you long after you finish reading.

What I loved most is how real the characters feel. There are multiple examples of great character development and even friendship/relationship development spread throughout the 4 parts of the book. Everyone has their own struggles, doubts, and moments of strength. It’s not just about Batman being a hero, it’s about how everyone, even the ones without masks, keep fighting to hold onto some sense of hope.

This story has multiple scenarios that made me have a physical reaction I didn’t expect. it’s dark, powerful, and deeply human. Easily one of, if not my favorite Batman stories ever, and a reminder of how even in the worst situations, there’s always something worth standing up for.

[Chip Keebaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s just so good idc sue me.

Take a shot every time my girl Helena Bertinelli gets colossally screwed over — she deserves so so much better, but god it makes for good storytelling. No Man’s Land is in my opinion the best story to ever come out of the Bat Family Mythos, and it’s wonderful to get to read it in a novel format. Obviously it’s the inspiration for The Dark Knight Rises and Arkham City, but this story has so much more depth and character work than either of those ever did. Obviously there are some plotting elements that could have been tweaked for greater effect, but that comes with the territory of trying to adapt a massive year-long comic event into one novel.

I always looked up to Helena Bertinelli as a kid, and it’s rare that any writers give her a meaningful spotlight. My girl can literally never catch a break in this arc, and every story after the early 2000’s straight up butchers her character, but she’ll always be THE best character in one of the most influential Batman stories of all time. I read this like once a year just for her sections, though the rest is pretty fun too.

[McKenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will go under my "Favorite Superhero Books" list, for sure. It's the best superhero-based book I've read, and I've read quite a few over the years. There's just something special about author's voices in the 90s and early 2000s. Especially authors who wrote for Star Wars and DC and other huge entertainment moguls. I always seem to enjoy books written during that time period. I will say, the ending felt extremely rushed and a little too neat, especially for a Batman story. However, the rest of the book was so entertaining and intense I can easily forgive a rushed ending. If you enjoy Batman, I definitely recommend picking this one up. You won't be disappointed.

[Keegan Schueler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally finished after months of putting it off for regular comics reading. Really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read the comics for comparison now. It starts off really slow which took me a while to get into but I think it works well as a sequel to Knightfall which I read last year even though there is a gap between the stories. The ending could’ve been a bit more explored in some areas but I still like the final chapters they laid out.

[Corey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Batman loses a lot without the visual.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was fun.

[Jenna Kass · Rating 4 out of 5]

My husband is a big Bat fan and I love to listen to him describe arcs from comics I will never personally read (nothing against the medium; I just have limited time/money to figure out the trades). When he said this was possibly his favorite Batman story, and I saw it was a mass market I could read on my commute, I jumped at the chance to experience it myself.

I did not in all honesty expect this to be so good, but Rucka has an amazing hand at turning these characters into lived-in people. The writing of Joker, specifically, is viscerally horrifying and incredibly funny; it landed for me where the OmG iNsAnE or ~brooding edgelord~ versions never have. And Rucka doesn't idolize or even seem to terribly like Batman even while deftly conveying his presence and power, which is a refreshing take on a character who is pretty unforgivable in his self-absorbed high-handedness. Poor Helena!

The book dipped from "excellent" to "good" about 2/3 of the way through as it became quite obviously a direct novelization of several issues, but it came back together as a really cohesive and effective novel about 100 pages before the end and finished with a gut punch.

[akiiKOMORI reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, not bad.
Some of the voices didn't match but they did their best.
I think Nightwing and Tim (though they weren't in it much) and Joker were the best cast. Maybe Jim too. Oh and Bane.
I enjoyed it - having not read the comic before, but now I'm interested.
Also CASSANDRA! <3

[Ankit Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Batman: No Man's Land, Greg Rucka tells the story of Gotham a ruined city filled with limitless crime and a earthquake which obliterated the city. Now the US Government has decided to break all connections with Gotham and has abandoned it, leaving the citizens of Gotham to defend and look after itself. Now characters like Commisioner James Gordon must try to bring law and order to the streets of Gotham. But the task proves to be difficult as high profile criminals like the Joker, Two-Face/Harvey Dent, Bane, Harley Quinn and ordinary criminals and thugs are loose on the streets of Gotham. Not only that but Gotham's hero, the Dark Knight aka Batman is nowhere to be seen. What will happen to the streets of Gotham?

As the story continues, we slowly discover more and more about the characters themselves. The author does a great job using the third person omniscient point of view. Due to this we learn more about the characters and discover some secrets. Greg Rucka also does an excellent job with the description of characters and scenes. His description is extremely vivid and detailed almost to the point that a reader feels like he/she is living it. Batman is proof of Greg Rucka's vivid imagery. Batman is a character who is revered on the streets of Gotham. He is a criminal's worst nightmare and is extremely intelligent. He puts fear into the hearts of the criminals and yet at the same time struggles to keep a dual identity as Bruce Wayne. He has also sworn to protect the innocent while at the same time seeking justice but not vengeance. This book is filled with mystery and suspense. There are so many clues and pieces of the puzzle that the reader has to take the time to think about it in order to figure out what will happen, which is good thing. I applaud the author for the creativity. It makes the book much more unique. There are many themes to this. But the important theme is the classic concept of Good Vs. Evil. In the book there are good characters like Batman, Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, Commissioner Gordon and his police and there are villains like Lex Luthor, Joker, Two-Face, Bane and the Penguin and while the villains have their own evil agenda, the heroes are trying to prevent it.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I gave it 5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. I really loved the character of Batman and i loved the way the author wrote him. It just made me like Batman even more. I also liked the way the author described things in the book. His vivid imagery was marvelous. I would recommend this book to people who love superheroes like me or to readers that like action, suspense, and mystery. Batman: No Man's Land is a great book and i suggest everyone to read it!

[Gav451 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was going to link in some of the art but time has played on of those tricks on me this weekend where it has moved extra quickly whenever I have looked away and suddenly there is none left. Oh well, it is so long since I wrote a review that I really wanted to get one done.

This is a follow on from another batman ‘event’ which was an earthquake. I didn't read that one and did wonder if that would spoil my reading of this one. It did not.

The main story did not move that far and there were a lot of elements that stretched credibility but then this is a comic book, about a hero so every part of this does that and I was more than able to suspect my disbelief.

This was a good read. While the main story rocked along we were frequently treated to vignettes of life within the devastated Gotham. Sometimes with Batman making very little of an impression. I enjoyed those tales immensely as they often had a sad or horrifying element to them. There was a sadness and humanity within them that was really effecting at times. This was not a story where good and evil were easy to tell apart and the desperation of the situation was one that was effectively portrayed.

Some of the art was amazing in this, some more workmanlike but all was good enough to not take you out of the story. There were some wonderfully stark and beautiful panels that forced you to stop and just appreciate the effort that must have been made to create them. I was never bored reading this. Because you got to see lots of intersecting tales there was a bit of jumping around and because it was yet another event tale it did feel slightly forced at times but all in all this was a solid 4 star read.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned from Phoenix: End Song that Greg Rucka is skilled at turning characters I dislike into human beings. (Or in that case, back into human beings). In No Man’s Land, he managed to come close with Batman, by allowing him so many moments of weakness before his friends and enemies, but unfortunately, there’s only so far you can go with Batman’s character, (or any of the main DC heroes). In all their time, these characters are largely unchanged, remaining untouchable, inhuman gods. I’ve realized that this is why I have never truly cared for DC comics when I had Marvel characters who, despite being very powerful, were always human with human flaws and human successes and we always know their minds and could relate.

Batman is, ironically, one of those untouchable, inhuman DC gods. We don’t get to know what he’s thinking any more than his companions do. But Rucka does well in making us see Batman through the eyes of those who have come to rely on him, perhaps too much. And it’s not all that pretty. Batman's an asshole.

This is, by no means, a condemnation of NML. NML is an excellent read that I would recommend to any Batman/comic book fan. Rucka’s descriptions of the physical and emotional hopeless of No Man’s Land carry much weight and his characterizations are his strength. The plot moves along at a sometimes slow, but acceptable pace, but I’m more interested in the character interactions and what it means for the future of Batman’s supporting cast members, than I am in what happens to Gotham after a devastating earthquake.

[Roger · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the novelization of the Batman graphic novel "No Man's Land". I have not read the graphic novel, so I cannot comment on how close the novel followed the events in graphic novel.

In a nutshell, an earthquake devastates Gotham. The U.S., not wanting to face the cost of a clean-up, makes Gotham a "no man's land", essentially abandoning the city and those who refuse to leave it. Lawlessness descends upon the city and Batman (plus his allies) are left to restore civilization to Gotham.

It took me a long time to finish this book. Something always felt "wrong" about it. I like dark fantasy and I am not squeamish when it comes to violence. But this book was a little too dark/violent for me. I think the proper phrase is "over the top". Add that characteristic to my opinion that Rucka's versions of the main characters didn't jive with my mental views created a feeling of "wrongness" that just wouldn't go away.

There are some good points about the book that kept me reading. The pacing was appropriate and there was plenty of pathos (maybe too much pathos in places). Other fans of Batman may like it more than I did.

I would give it 2.5 stars if Goodreads allowed half stars.